An updated contract with the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department was approved at the December 9 Wykoff City Council meeting. The previous contract had been in effect for over 20 years and needed language updates and a liability clause to comply with the League of Minnesota Cities. The new contract comes in at $24,000 a year paid to the Sheriff’s Department for services; the same as the previous contract.

However, the patrol time will be cut in half, two hours a day, but will still remain as seven days a week. The Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department will also help enforce ordinances for the city. Councilman Rocky Vreeman asked if the two hours a day would be served consecutively and was told by a representative from the Sheriff’s Department that it would be throughout the course of a day at various times.

The new water treatment center was reported to finally be back on track by Kevin Graves, a representative from WHKS; the company the city hired to engineer the new plant. It is expected that new bids will be advertised in January, 2014 and opened in February. Rural Development was hopeful the City of Wykoff could secure additional national grant money that was not previously available.

There is still a need for applicants to fill the Class B license position needed to operate the new plant. The council was visited by Steve Bushman, who has all the qualifications needed for the new job but is currently a consultant. Bushman offered his services to the city in training a new employee and overseeing the project. He shared his insight, noting that a Class B candidate would warrant possibly 60-70k a year in wages. He warned that hiring someone just out of school would mean they were a Class D operator and it would take five years to achieve a Class B license. Bushman would strictly be a consulting supervisor giving directives, handling all test results and identifying the needs of the plant. He left the council with some things to think about and a proposed contract for his services, which included the payment of any additional classes needed along the way.

Councilman Comstock expressed the need for a new microwave at the community center. He had researched and found a replacement for $49. Councilman Grabau made a motion to purchase the new appliance and Councilman Vreeman seconded the motion.

It was decided that City Clerk Davis would send a letter to a property owner on the northeast side of town after she was visited by the MPCA with a complaint. The MPCA representative reported to Davis the property had several TV’s and a few mattresses that were not properly disposed of on their property. Councilman Vreeman made a motion to send a violation letter and Councilman Comstock seconded.

A resident had contacted Councilman Comstock concerning winter parking and their inability to see when backing out of their driveway because of vehicles parked on the street. Councilman Mitch Grabau asked if the resident had filed a formal complaint to which Comstock replied they had not. Grabau told the council they did not need to address the issue without a formal complaint and urged residents to file complaints if they want the council to resolve the issues. There was no further discussion concerning the matter.

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